A patient care unit with a reclining surface for accommodating a patient is known from DE 10 2004 025 797 B3. This prior-art patient care unit is equipped with means for receiving sensor signals of the patient and with means for sending the sensor signals to a cable connection for connecting the patient care unit to the supply network voltage, so that the sensor signals reach corresponding measuring or treating devices via the electrical supply network for analysis of the sensor signals.
An information network for the clinical area has become known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,566 B2, in which the physiological parameters measured at the patient are transmitted in a radio-based manner from individual devices at the patient into the network for further processing.
A flexible breathing gas or breathing tube for the mechanical respiration of a patient with a signal line extending along the flexible breathing gas tube and with a sensor means at the end of the flexible breathing tube, which end faces away from the respirator and faces the patient, is described in DE 103 12 881 B3. A contactless, especially inductive interface is arranged between the sensor means and the signal line.
The use of various medical technical devices in the vicinity of or directly at the patient is necessary during a medical treatment, for example, during surgery or during stay in an intensive care unit, in order to monitor or measure physiological or vital parameters of the patient and to supply the patient with life-preserving means, while the patient is, in general, on a patient care unit with a reclining surface, for example, on an operating table, during the treatment. The patient care unit may be equipped with additional functional elements, for example, with elements for the reclining surface, which elements can be adjusted by means of an electric motor.
Medical technical devices are, for example, patient monitors for detecting, processing and displaying physiological measured data. Medical technical devices are, for example, also electrically operated inhalers, respiration humidifiers or infusion pumps for dispensing and administering drugs.
It is common to such electrically operated medical technical devices that they are either supplied with electrical energy via a permanent line connection or they must be connected via a corresponding cable connection for recharging the internal energy storage unit with a separate, external power supply unit via a corresponding cable connection, as in the case of portable, non-stationary patient monitors.